Didn't realize this was only a sample, but what I read makes me very excited to keep reading this series.

My feedback on this is the fact that I have learned not to request a sampler from NetGalley going forward. Don't get me wrong, this is an excellent book and part of an excellent series, but it was like getting to the end of the book and finding out there was a huge cliffhanger. Which it was. Iin part because we only got to read SOME of the book....and now have to wait for the rest. Ugh!

So, if you have read the first book, you will be thrilled to know that it wasn't a fluke. This story is getting even better.

If you haven't read the first book, that is your first mistake. Don't start here. Go find book 1 and go from there. That way you can be waiting with bated breath for this book to come out in 2024.

And if you have not read the first book, you can thank me now.

Your welcome.

This was the perfect sampler and did not disappoint! I devoured it in one sitting, leaving me desperate for more. A summary of the characters and events was provided in the beginning from where Empire of the Vampire left off, which I found incredibly helpful since I read EOTV when it first came out over two years ago. The sampler is in a conversationalist format like EOTV, and I love this kind of storytelling. Gabriel’s principle of right and wrong makes him a compelling protagonist, and I think readers will either love or hate him. His relationship with Dior is a special one–shifting between friendship and parental/child relationship, and I’m excited to see how their bond develops, especially after where the sampler ends. I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves vampires, especially the more horrific and dark side of paranormal fantasy.

Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the sampler!

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the ability to read this book sampler before release day. I am SO excited for this to come out, it's going to be a great addition to the Empire of the Vampire series, and I can't wait to get back into this world!

This sampler is the perfect length. An enjoyable sneak peek into the next book, it picks up right where the previous book left off and leaves just enough hype for the full release.

I thought I would see if this sampler would be better than his other works but it was a bit of a slog to get through and I probably won’t bother with Kristoff in the future.

This sample has me so hype for the new book! Give me more Jay Kristoff vampires! I am anxiously awaiting Match 12th for the release of Empire of the Damned!

I really enjoyed this novel. The characters were well developed and the plot flowed in a way that made sense. I would recommend this book to others and look forward to reading others by this author.

Thank you to St Martins for the sampler!

This was fantastic! picks up right where we left off and I can’t wait to read more.

I would do anything for a full arc!

Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff is a thrilling and intense read that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The world-building in this book is absolutely incredible, transporting readers to a dark and grim setting.

Overall, Empire of the Damned is an exceptional book that fans of dark and gritty fantasy will thoroughly appreciate.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for this sampler. I am so glad I already pre-order a copy and I can not wait until next year to read this sequel

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you so much, St Martin's Press, for the chance to read this sampler in exchange of an honest review.

I can't believe I got the chance to read the first chapter of one of my most anticipated reads of 2024! I'm so involved in this story and I can't wait to read more about Gabriel and the Holy Grail (those who know, know) and their adventure. It was so wonderful getting back to their world and starting to know and discover more things about what exactly brough Gabriel to his present and, while this sampler satisfied a bit my curiosity, I can't wait to have the whole book in my hands!

My gosh.
This story.
I love it so much.

It’s taking turns I wasn’t expecting!! I’m questioning everything. My world is unraveling.

And that cliffhanger was brutal!

Truly though? This is the coolest story. For me, at least.

It’s gothic, medieval, complex, intricate. And the expanse it’s beginning to take…!

I am loving the dark empire vibes. The deeper glimpse into the faithless.

This story is without a doubt vampire, but I'm getting more Game of Thrones vibes this go-round too!

And I cannot wait to see where this installment is headed!!!

[Update] Check out my Goodreads page for the full book review, thank you St. Martin's Press!

Thank you, thank you for this sampler! Now I'm even more excited about this book! I so need to get again in this world and I can't wait to read this whole book!

Whatever Gabriel thinks, I know there must be a God because the book begins with a recap of characters and events from the previous book. Praise be!

I knew getting a sample was going to be the most enjoyable torture, because on one hand, I got to read the beginning of the book, but now I have even more agony in waiting for the rest!!

Some might say it’s overwritten, stuffed with too many adjectives and similes, but I say bring ‘em on! Jay Kristoff has surely knocked this out of the park.

I’ve never been so excited to start reading something and then some pages later been filled with such eager dread at what’s about to happen…. well done Mr. Kristoff! I both can’t wait for the rest of the book and am trying to prepare myself for the devastation I know you are about to deliver.

Well, I just finished the sampler ARC of Empire of the Damned by @misterkristoff and honestly not sure how I am going to cope the next couple of months. Two months is long to wait for the conclusion of this spectacular book.

It follows the aftermath of Diors escape from the sacrificial ritual orchestrated by the Ordo Argent and sister Chloe Sauvage. Gabriel, and Dior join forces with Celene, Gabriel's sister to find the solution to end daysdeath.

Their journey, as expected is arduous. But the bond that flourishes between Gabriel and Dior is so special. Their relationship is a blurring of friendship, mentorship or a parental/child relationship - due to their histories, navigating this new relationship is not without its difficulties.

Furthermore, we meet some additional scaries, and let me tell you, they are equally as terrifying as Fabien. We also get some additional POVS, and of course, we are blessed with some additional magnificent artwork.

Empire of the Vampire was my favorite book of 2021, and I can already tell you that this will be my favorite book of 2024. I am counting the days til my physical copies get here, thank you to the author and @stmartinspress, and @netgalley for the advanced copy!

Ugh. I slogged through the first book—through the overblown, over the top metaphors, through the rampant misogyny, the absolute bro-dom of Gabriel, and was truly not going to attempt to read the second book. But people kept saying they loved the first book, were so looking forward the the second so I wondered if maybe I’d judged it too harshly and decided to give it a second chance with this excerpt from book two.

Nope. Didn’t misjudge. This was just as bad as book one. DNF this excerpt at 40%—I could not tolerate reading one more page and honestly have no idea how people can manage to read an entire book of this ilk. No thanks. Never requesting another book by this author. It’s just too irritating and could not get engaged in it in any way. Won’t get those hours back. Not for me.

I'll keep this short, as the book was a sampler and not the whole thing, but thanks to Netgalley for the ARC sampler.

Wow, what a book! I was so looking forward to the second book, after the amazing and unexpected first book, but with a little trepidation about middle-book syndrome. Don't worry, this was amazing. I can't wait for the full book to drop to find out where it goes...........dive in!

I really enjoyed this book! It grabbed my attention and kept me wanting more! This was emotional and so thrilling. Definitely a 4 star read!